Article Tag Archives: Peace Corps

Truman continues to receive high marks for helping students earn degrees while keeping the cost of their education low.

The Business Journals ranked Truman at No. 40 on its list of the best public colleges in America. The publication looked at nearly 500 four-year public institutions nationwide and based its rankings on 19 indicators of academic excellence, affordability and diversity. The study’s objective was to identify the public universities and colleges that offer the best educational experiences to their students.

According to the article that accompanied the February release of The Business Journals’ rankings, 70 percent of U.S. students who earned bachelor’s degrees in 2013 went into debt to finance their education, with typical graduates owing more than $28,000. By comparison, half of Truman’s students graduate without any student debt and the other half graduate with debt well below the state and national averages.

Cost was one of three core categories — out of six total — where Truman earned a five-star rating. Truman’s accolades from Forbes, Kiplinger’s, Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report were also taken into consideration by The Business Journals’ rankings.

At the start of the year, the Princeton Review heaped praise on the University by including it in the book “Colleges That Pay You Back: The 200 Best Value Colleges and What It Takes to Get In.” Although Truman is a perennial fixture in Princeton Review listings, inclusion in this particular book is notable as it is the first to factor in data regarding academics, cost, financial aid, graduation rates, alumni salaries and job satisfaction. One of only 77 public schools to be included, the book noted Truman “offers a private school education at a public price” and that “comprehensive financial aid programs can be used to make sure that students are able to focus on their studies.”

Truman also earned acknowledgement twice this year for its involvement with two unique organizations — the Fulbright Program and the Peace Corps.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recognized Truman as a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students for the 2014-2015 academic year. Of Truman’s 19 Fulbright applicants, six were offered the award, which placed the University third nationally among master’s institutions. Truman tied with four other institutions across the U.S.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. A current objective of the program is to encourage participants to find innovative solutions to global issues such as climate change and pandemics. Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 300,000 participants, chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential, with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Truman’s 14 alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps helped land a spot on that agency’s annual list of top schools.

Since the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 200 Truman graduates have served as volunteers. The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing schools according to the size of the student body. This year, Truman tied at No. 19 among Medium Colleges and Universities, classified as having enrollments between 5,000 and 15,000 students.

Truman shared the No. 19 spot with four other schools, including Washington University in St. Louis, which was the only other Missouri school to make the list in any of the three size-based categories. This is the third time overall that Truman has made the Peace Corps rankings.

The University is also a partner in the Peace Corps Master’s International program, which now includes Truman’s Master of Arts in leadership. Individuals in the program typically complete one year of graduate coursework before beginning their Peace Corps assignments. The two-year Peace Corps appointment counts as the required internship experience and tuition is waived during their service.

The Peace Corps sends volunteers abroad to work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their service, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global
economy.

Students can now work toward a master’s degree while simultaneously doing volunteer service abroad, thanks to a newly formed partnership between Truman’s Office of Graduate Studies and the Peace Corps.

Students participating in the Master’s International program first gain admission to the Master of Arts in leadership program where they would be encouraged to specialize in education, health or environment and agriculture. Admitted students then complete their applications to the Peace Corps.

Individuals in the program typically complete one year of graduate coursework before beginning Peace Corps assignments. The two-year Peace Corps appointment counts as the required nine-credit internship experience. Tuition is waived during the Peace Corps assignment.

After the assignment, students complete remaining academic requirements and graduate with a Master of Arts in leadership. The program provides an opportunity to integrate international experience, cross-cultural awareness and foreign language skills with larger career goals.

After two months of in-country training, Sadie Nelson (’11), pictured far left, and members of her training group enjoy their day of “swearing in” as official Peace Corps volunteers in Lesotho, South Africa. Nelson applied to the Peace Corps shortly after graduation. Her in-country training included passing a language proficiency test of the country’s official language, Sesotho. Through a new partnership between the University and the Peace Corps, Truman students who volunteer can also work toward their master’s in leadership during service time.